Oilers center Derick Brassard has bounced around a lot in recent years, suiting up for seven different teams over the last four seasons. There has been a desire to add him but it hasn’t resulted in much stability or in his case with Edmonton, playing time; the 34-year-old was a healthy scratch in 15 of their playoff games this spring. Accordingly, Postmedia’s Jim Matheson reports that Brassard is considering retirement. He has been limited with hip trouble in recent years, missing time with injuries on four separate occasions this season alone although he still managed a respectable 19 points in 46 games. If it is indeed the end of the line for Brassard, he’ll hang up his skates with 522 points in 951 games over a 15-year NHL career, a solid run for the sixth-overall pick in 2006.
Elsewhere in Edmonton:
- GM Ken Holland is expected to meet with Brett Kulak’s agent Gerry Johansson this week to discuss a new contract, notes Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins. The 28-year-old Edmonton native was acquired from Montreal at the trade deadline in exchange for blueliner William Lagesson, the 62nd pick in next month’s draft, and a 2024 seventh-rounder. Kulak did a good job on their back end down the stretch, logging a little over 17 minutes a night down the stretch and in the playoffs and he would give them some extra depth for next season. However, with limited cap space, Edmonton would be hard-pressed to offer the $1.85MM AAV on his set-to-expire deal let alone a raise so it would be surprising to see a new agreement reached quickly.
- With defenseman Dmitri Samorukov being waiver-eligible next season, Allan Mitchell of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that the blueliner could be a trade candidate in the coming weeks. The 22-year-old played just once this season, logging only 2:28 of ice time while being on the ice for two goals allowed. However, he had a solid campaign with AHL Bakersfield, picking up 18 points in 51 games which helped earn him a one-year, one-way extension worth $775K next month. That could make him a seventh defender option for the Oilers next season or on another cap-strapped team around the league.
Au revoir, Chien.
If that is it for Brassard, congrats on a great career.
Great?
Great first half of a career.
Until he stopped caring and started dogging it like a DOG.
That half was pretty wretched.
Almost 1000 games and one of the best playoff performers of the mid 2010’s. There’s a reason he was able to latch on with so many teams in these decline years. Obviously not a top player but he was a very effective middle six guy for a long time. Thats not nothing.
I would call it a successful career, not great.
He had a few good years going into his about age 28 year, but nothing spectacular. And really nothing after.
He’s still only 34, and been bounced around 7 teams in the past few years. Some teams took a flyer hoping he would return to what he once showed. He showed flashes, but never brilliance. Good luck in the future DB, but what could have been.